Winning candidates in the two contested county races this November outspent their opponents, according to Ohio Campaign Finance Reports filed with the Lawrence County Board of Elections.

Lawrence County Commissioner Jason Stephens spent three times as much on his campaign than did County Treasurer Stephen Burcham as both vied for the county auditor’s post. Stephens won the November race with 55.26 percent of the vote or 9,764 to Burcham’s 7,906. Stephens spent $24,570.86 on the general election campaign compared to $7,656.72 spent by Burcham.

In Burcham’s pre-general election report filed by his father, Dale Burcham, the candidate had total funds available of $5,656.72. Besides contributions from seven individuals, Burcham’s campaign received $250 from the United Food and Commercial Workers and $1,000 from the candidate.

Out of those contributions $5,363.62 was spent up to Oct. 20. Those expenditures included $1,091.80 for printing campaign literature; $558.82 for T-shirts and hats; $475 at the county fair’s sweet tooth auction; and $2,900 at the fair’s livestock auction.

In the post-election report filed on Dec. 9, Burcham had an additional $2,293.10 to spend coming from a $293.10 balance forward plus contributions of $1,916.91 and other income of $83.09. That entire amount was spent including $368.88 on door cards and $1,837.13 in newspaper advertising.

According to this second report besides contributions from three individuals, Burcham’s campaign received $300 from the Ohio & Vicinity Regional Council South Central Office PCE; $500 from the Columbus Sheet Metal Workers Committee on Political Education; and $516.91 from the candidate.

In his pre-election report filed by the candidate’s father, Jerry M. Stephens, Stephens spent $16,796.67 on his campaign by Oct. 20. That came from $100 carried forward, plus $1,700 in contributions and $15,096.67 from a loan by the candidate to his own campaign. Expenditures included $2,500 to Wenzel Strategies in Columbus for consulting; $4,278.86 for signs; $1,979.37 to the county fair livestock auction; $193.95 to Front Porch Strategies in Columbus for consulting; $1,048.43 for newspaper advertising; and $1,940.55 to the United Postal Service for postage.

In the post-election report filed on Dec. 7, Stephens had $7,874.19 in total funds consisting of an individual contribution of $250, plus $7,524.19 from a loan by the candidate to his campaign.

The campaign also received $517.30 in in-kind contributions for printing from the Ohio Republican Party and $493.42 in in-kind contributions from the Ohio Republican Party for postage.

Expenditures listed on that report totaled $7,774.19. They included $531.04 to Front Porch Strategies in Columbus for consulting; $2,638.82 to the U.S. Postal Service for postage; $1,926.50 for newspaper advertising; $2,092.83 for printing; and $250 to a private photography firm.

From Jan. 29, 1998 to Oct. 14, 2010 Stephens has lent $73,379.74 to his campaigns, according to the report.

In the campaign for a seat on the Lawrence County Commission Paul Herrell, the Republican candidate, outspent incumbent Doug Malone, one and a half times to beat the two-term Democrat. Herrell pulled in 9,010 or 51.40 percent of the vote in the November election.

Herrell spent $6,260.80 compared with Malone’s campaign, which spent $4,056.68.

In the pre-general report filed by Malone’s wife LaYvonnia Malone, the candidate had $3,256.68 in available funds on Nov. 20, consisting of $921.68 from a balance forward and $2,335 in contributions. Besides individual contributors Malone received $500 from Labor Local 83 out of Portsmouth.

Expenditures included $938.39 for printing; $941.60 for signs and $375 for shirts.

In his post general report filed Dec. 7, Malone had additional contributions of $800 with a balance forward of $83.13. Those contributions came from the Ohio Regional Council South Central Office PCE for $300 and from the Columbus Sheet Metal Workers for $500.

Expenditures included $291.50 for newspaper inserts and $431.63 for taking up signs and poll work.

In his pre-general report filed by his wife, Linda Herrell, Paul Herrell had $6,000 in funds available on Oct. 19, all from contributions.

Those contributions came from three individuals, each giving the campaign $2,000. In this report Herrell spent $5,276.80 including $2,296.80 to the Lawrence County Agricultural Society for advertising; $700 for cards and $1,730 for signs.

In his post-general report, Herrell received no additional monetary contributions and $260.80 in in-kind contributions listed as cash from his wife. That, with a balance forward of $723.20, was spent for advertising of $329 and $655 for signs.